The present invention relates to systems for conveying individual fragile items, such as cookies or chocolate bars, to packaging machines or other receiving devices, and relates particularly to systems in which a certain accumulation of items must occur ahead of the input to the receiving device. When supplying items, e.g. cookies or chocolate bars, to a packaging machine or other receiving device, the items must be permitted to accumulate in front of the receiving device so as to compensate for output fluctuations in the output of the source furnishing the items. The higher the output, or item handling rate, of the receiving device, the longer must be the accumulation path upstream of it. However, an increase in the length of the accumulation path is accompanied by an increase in the accumulation pressure experienced by items on the path, which may result in damage to the items or even jamming of the items at some point on the path, and thus interruption of the work sequence.